THE WORLD | THE MIDDLE EAST

'Homicide Bombing' Enters U.S. Lexicon

WASHINGTON — The White House has added a new term to its Middle East descriptions: "homicide bombing."

That's how White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer has begun referring to bombing attacks in Israel, including Friday's, in which a woman detonated explosives she was wearing, killing herself and six other people at an outdoor market.

"The president condemns this morning's homicide bombing," Fleischer said.

When asked why he used the term, Fleischer replied that it better captures the nature of the violence.

"These are not suicide bombings. These are not people who kill just themselves," Fleischer said. "These are people who deliberately go to murder others, with no regard to the values of their own life. These are murderers."